“We teach handwriting by describing that letters come down from the sky and down to the ground,” Nelson said, “we also use natural beeswax crayons so that the children are in contact with beautiful natural materials.”

Nelson’s lessons consist of movement and using student’s natural interests as children to help them learn.

“Children are not miniature adults,” Nelson said, “they need to learn through experience. They need to learn through hands on activities. They need to be free to get up and move, they need time outside. These aren’t incidentals, this is how children learn.”

Teachers will stay with the same group of students as they continue through grade levels and the school ultimately hopes to add middle school grades to the school.

Most teachers at Maupin are new to the innovation style of teaching but were trained in the schools philosophy.